1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to personal computers and, in a disclosed preferred embodiment, more specifically provides a computer docking station with an integral base security system.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well known in the art to enhance the convenience of using a portable, notebook, or laptop computer (hereinafter, a "portable" computer) by providing a docking station to which the computer may be interconnected. In this manner, the computer is readily interconnected to a relatively large monitor, additional storage devices, such as disk drives, additional capabilities, such as those provided by PC cards, networks, speakers, input devices, additional microprocessors and memory devices, etc., when the computer is docked with the docking station in a user's office or home.
When, however, the computer is separated from the docking station, such as when the user desires to travel and at the same time have access to the computer, the docking station typically remains at the user's home or office. This situation presents security concerns, since the user is away from the home or office, but the storage devices, PC cards, and the remainder of the docking station are typically left unattended at the home or office.
Other security concerns are presented when the computer is left docked with the docking station and the user is away from the home or office. In this situation, due to the very portability of the computer, a thief or other unauthorized person may easily remove the computer from the docking station and transport it away from the user's home or office.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that it would be quite desirable to provide a computer docking station which does not permit access to the docking station and its associated components when the computer is docked with or detached from the docking station, but which permits the computer to be conveniently docked and detached from the docking station when the user so desires. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide such a computer docking station.